Press Releases

Citizens Union Releases Report on Super PAC Failures Up and Down the Ballot in 2025 New York City Primaries

August 4, 2025 - Citizens Union today released a report revealing that despite record-breaking spending, Super PAC–backed candidates fell short in municipal primary elections up and down the ballot this June. Outside groups poured $46 million into efforts to influence election outcomes, but failed to elect their preferred candidates in a majority of competitive races, including the mayoral race and in key borough president and City Council contests.

Citizens Union Applauds Charter Revision Commission Approving an Even-Year Elections Ballot Question for this November

July 21, 2025 — Citizens Union issued the following statement from Executive Director Grace Rauh ahead of the final meeting of the 2025 Charter Revision Commission, which is expected to approve a ballot question to move New York City’s local elections to even-numbered years. This reform has long been championed by Citizens Union, which has provided the Commission with testimony, research, and comments addressing various aspects of election consolidation

Citizens Union Announces Preferred Slate of Candidates for Mayor in Democratic Primary: Andrew Cuomo, Brad Lander, and Zellnor Myrie

June 3, 2025 - Citizens Union announced its candidate preferences in the Democratic primary races for Mayor and City Comptroller under New York City’s ranked choice voting system. After undertaking a rigorous evaluation process of seven Democratic candidates for Mayor, Citizens Union issued a preferred slate of candidates: Andrew Cuomo, Brad Lander, and Zellnor Myrie. In the race for Comptroller, Citizens Union prefers Justin Brannan as its first choice and Mark Levine as its second choice.

Citizens Union Announces Preferences Keith Powers for Manhattan Borough President and 12 Candidates for City Council

May 28, 2025 - Citizens Union announced its candidate preferences in 12 contested City Council primary races and in the Manhattan Borough President Democratic Primary under New York City’s ranked choice voting system. After undertaking a rigorous evaluation of 37 candidates for 13 offices across all five boroughs, Citizens Union issued its ordered preferences, urging voters to make use of the ranked choice ballots

Citizens Union Applauds Charter Revision Commission for Advancing Open Primaries and Even Year Elections 

April 30, 2025 - Citizens Union has issued the following statement from Board Chair John Avlon applauding the Charter Revision Commission for including two transformative reforms in their report issued today: moving New York City elections to even-numbered years and implementing a top-two open primary system. These long-standing priorities of Citizens Union represent important steps toward a more inclusive, participatory, and representative local democracy:

Citizens Union Applauds City Council for Passing Legislation to Reform Sidewalk Shed Rules

March 20, 2025 - Citizens Union released the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum, applauding the New York City Council for passing legislation to address the city’s long-standing sidewalk shed problem. Citizens Union’s 2023 report, Sidewalk Shed Reform in New York City, highlighted how these structures, originally intended as temporary safety measures, have become permanent fixtures

Citizens Union Calls on Charter Revision Commissions to Implement Bold Reforms to Strengthen Democracy and Government Accountability

February 24, 2025 - Citizens Union today released a new report urging both New York City Charter Revision Commissions to take decisive action to strengthen democracy and enhance government accountability. The report, published ahead of Citizens Union’s testimony before the Mayoral Commission this evening, calls for comprehensive reforms, including establishing a process to remove mayors for misconduct, implementing top-two open primary elections, moving city elections to even-numbered years, and expanding the powers and independence of the Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB).

Citizens Union: Eric Adams Should No Longer Be Mayor of New York City

February 19, 2025) - Mayor Eric Adams should resign from his office. His choices and actions over a sustained period of time have led to levels of ethical misconduct in City Hall unseen in decades. This has created a crisis of confidence in his ability to lead the government of our nation’s largest city and has led to the resignation of more than half of his current deputy mayors. Serious ethical lapses by the Mayor, and an absence of stability in any one of these roles, let alone all of them, threaten to undermine policymaking and the delivery of essential public services citywide.

Groups Applaud Court of Appeals Decision Upholding State Ethics Commission

February 18, 2025 - Watchdog and legal groups applauded today’s thoroughly-researched and argued decision by the NYS Court of Appeals that solidifies the constitutionality of the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (COELIG). This victory for state ethics oversight will help ensure that the governor does not have undue control over the very body that ensures their conduct is ethical

Back To Top

This site is under construction. Stay tuned for our relaunch!

X